HARDWOOD PELLETS VS. SOFTWOOD PELLETS — THE GREAT DEBATE
Before determining the ideal choice between hardwood pellets and softwood pellets, it’s important to recognize why both are available to choose from. Wood pellets are an alternative to traditional wood. The manufacturing process gives wood pellets qualities that increase the types of wood that can go into them. The difference is in the density.
In nature, hardwoods grow more slowly than their softwood counterparts. Their growth rate affects their density over time. The type of wood you use in a traditional wood stove determines safety, ease of use and temperature. Wood stove burners are forced to use hardwood because of the density that determines burn time.
Hardwood, with a higher density, has a longer burn time compared to a softwood log. This difference in behavior often confuses a wood stove burner when they switch to a pellet stove. Plenty of customers looking for the best option for their home choose wood pellets the same way they select wood for a wood stove.
Consumers are used to hardwood being their only option, knowing that softwood will burn too fast. However, the wood pellet manufacturing process makes softwood pellet fuel a viable burning option.
THE WOOD PELLET DIFFERENCE
During the wood pellet manufacturing process, the wood fibers get densified into pellets of similar densities. Pellet production involves pressing wood and residuals into pellets with consistent volumes. The natural density of hardwood and softwood is no longer a concern — all pellets are similar in density regardless of the type of wood.
Differences Between Softwood and Hardwood Pellets
Wood pellets feature either a hardwood or softwood species. Hardwood pellets come from woods such as oak and maple. Softwood heating pellets come from softwood breeds, including spruce and cedar. Some consumers believe they cannot use softwood pellets in their pellet stoves. This is incorrect. Your pellet stove may require different fuel and air settings for softwood over the hardwood it may be used to, but a pellet stove can burn either.
Beyond their breed, there are a few factors that differentiate hardwood pellets from softwood pellets:
Heat Output and Efficiency
While the densities for hardwood and softwood pellets are the same, the key difference between the two is the British thermal unit (BTU) measurement.
A BTU measurement describes how much heat a fuel source can output. One BTU produces enough heat to raise 1 pound of water’s temperature by 1 degree Fahrenheit when the water is at its greatest density — at 39 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wood pellets should produce around 60,000 BTUs to heat a 2,000-square-foot home. Softwood pellets have a higher BTU output than hardwood pellets, meaning they burn hotter and longer than hardwood pellets. The increase and heat output is due to the higher concentration of lignins — natural polymers that hold wood together.
Ash Content
Ash content is another crucial factor that separates hardwood pellets and softwood pellets. Wood pellets contain a percentage of noncombustible material that remains as ash after the rest burns. All wood pellets have less than 1% ash content, but the exact figure can still differentiate hardwood from softwood pellets.
Hardwood pellets produce up to three times more ash than softwood pellets. When pellets produce less ash, there is less cleanup for you to do, more combustible fuel to burn and greater airflow for the fire and the stove fills.
WHAT ARE THE BEST WOOD PELLETS FOR HEATING?
Hardwood and softwood pellets go through similar processing. The final products end up having the same density. Burning performance depends more on the manufacturer’s methods than the type of wood in the pellets. There are hardwood pellets that are much better than some softwood pellets and vice versa due to manufacturing quality.
There are various steps in the wood pellet production process. The manufacturer selects the wood, grinds the wood into dust, compresses the dust into pellets and dries the pellets out, all before packaging and distributing the final product. Refining the production process leads to the most efficient wood pellets for your stove.
The wood’s region of origin is also a key factor in wood pellet quality. Two different regions may produce the same type of trees but have unique environmental conditions. Procuring wood from a damp area will lead to pellets that contain more moisture. The ideal wood pellet has around 6.5% moisture or lower.
The region may also change the price of the wood pellets and, therefore, the value of their heat output. For example, wood from a distant part of the country may cost more to transport and convert into a batch of pellets.
Manufacturing Quality: The Real Distinction for the Best Type of Wood Pellets to Burn
So, how should you decide on the best wood pellets for your pellet stove? In the end, the wood pellet option you choose depends on your personal preferences and the production quality of your wood pellets.
Wood species is not the deciding factor in pellet quality. Whether the wood is hard or soft makes little difference. The manufacturer and the region the wood comes from have the greatest influence over pellet quality than whether it is a hardwood or softwood pellet. A pellet’s ash content is based on the region the wood comes from and the quality control requirements the pellet manufacturer has with their raw material suppliers.
The pelletizing process gives manufacturers precise control over the composition of wood pellets. When you use wood in your wood stove, you get the results nature made. However, if you choose wood pellets, the manufacturer decides the effectiveness of your fuel. It’s up to the manufacturer to determine what standards the wood pellets must meet and what processes they’ll undergo to deliver on customer expectations.
This difference makes the quality standards of your wood pellet company the deciding factor in your purchase. Since your wood pellet manufacturer has the power to make a product with the ideal traits, you deserve a supplier that takes advantage of that opportunity. You should buy pellets that follow The Energex Standard.
Our Best Hardwood and Softwood Pellets for Pellets Stoves
At Energex, we understand that the quality of production is more important than the type of wood you’re using. That’s why we offer hardwood, softwood and blended pellet options — all with the same standard of excellence.
Whether it’s hardwood or softwood, we make sure all our pellets have 1% or less ash content to deliver the quality you expect. We have the best softwood pellets and hardwood pellets for your pellet stove, providing consistent quality you can trust.
Some of the options we have available include:
- Hardwood premium. We source our premium hardwood pellets from high-quality species, providing a classic option that’s affordable and eco-friendly.
- Hardwood super premium. These pellets are the best of the best and are kiln-dried and carefully selected to have less than 0.5% ash content.
- Premium softwood blend. With 60% softwood and 40% hardwood, this pellet has it all, including a higher BTU output and an ash content under 0.6%.
- 100% softwood blend. These low ash pellets burn even hotter than our softwood blend, so you get clean heat.
GET THE BEST TYPE OF WOOD PELLETS TO BURN FROM ENERGEX
Since 1993, Energex has been a leader in producing wood pellets that meet the most rigorous quality standards. All our heating pellets are Pellet Fuels Institute (PFI) certified, renewable and sustainable, so you can feel confident that you’re getting carefully selected and responsibly made products every time you buy from us.
Whether you’re looking for heating or cooking pellets, we have premium wood products available. Do you need a large supply to store up? We also offer bulk pellets to meet your needs. Whatever you’re looking for to keep your fire going, we have you covered with clean, affordable solutions you can count on.
Interested in learning more about our quality standards and what we have to offer? Contact a customer representative today.